North Spirit Lake First Nation is calling on the Province of Ontario to immediately pause its new “One Project, One Process” policy, warning that the framework threatens to silence Indigenous voices, weaken environmental protections, and violate constitutional and international obligations to Indigenous Peoples.
Chief Brandon Rae of North Spirit Lake First Nation said the policy—framed by Ontario as a move toward “efficiency”—will instead reduce consultation and oversight, putting First Nations lands, waters, and rights at risk.
“Our community feels there is no real ‘off-ramp’ in this process,” said Chief Rae. “There’s no room to pause or ask for more time without being left out completely. If this is what Ontario calls partnership, it’s not one built on respect or fairness.”
“Our rights are not something that can be streamlined or processed away,” Chief Rae added. “We are not against development — but development must be done with us, not without us. Real partnership means working together from the very beginning, not being pushed aside once decisions are already made.”
Located in northwestern Ontario, North Spirit Lake is a remote, fly-in community where traditional ways of life remain strong. The land and water sustain the Nation’s food, medicine, and culture — and any harm to the environment directly threatens the community’s health and future.
Chief Rae said Ontario’s “One Project, One Process” risks repeating the mistakes of the past, pointing to the abandoned Favorable Lake gold mine north of the community — a site that still leaks contamination decades after being deserted.
“Favorable Lake is a constant reminder of what happens when governments and companies walk away from their responsibilities,” said Chief Rae. “Ontario has still not cleaned up that mine. If they couldn’t manage old contamination, how can we trust them to manage new development under a weaker process?”
The First Nation is also alarmed that the company chosen to pilot this new regulatory approach has never operated a mine before. Allowing an inexperienced proponent to test an unproven process in a fragile northern ecosystem, the community says, is “dangerous and irresponsible.”
North Spirit Lake First Nation emphasizes that it is open to responsible, sustainable development that respects the land and recognizes Indigenous jurisdiction.
“We are not opposed to development,” Chief Rae said. “But it must respect our laws, our knowledge, and our right to free, prior, and informed consent. The days of being left out of decisions on our own lands are over. We must be full partners in shaping what happens here.”
The Nation is calling on:
• Ontario to pause implementation of “One Project, One Process” and begin true Nation-to-Nation discussions with affected First Nations;
• The federal government to ensure Ontario upholds its obligations under Section 35 of the Constitution and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP); and
• The public to stand in solidarity with Indigenous Nations whose lands and waters sustain all people.
“We are caretakers of this land,” Chief Rae concluded. “We cannot and will not stand by while others gamble with our future. Favorable Lake taught us the cost of silence — we won’t let history repeat itself.”